Defn: A statement that is takento be self-evident,for granted, and thus forms the basis for further arguments and conclusions.

4 Max may be associated with this space for nuts (8)

HEADROOM : Cryptic defn: The ROOM,spaceabove people’s HEADs,nuts, critical with low-ceilings or short doors. The association with Maxis from the futuristic TV series in the late 80s, Max Headroom, featuring punk rock and things cyberspace. Max Headroom was a computer generated character derived from the brainscan of an investigative reporter, named after the last words the reporter saw before he was knocked off from his motorcycle while pursuing someone into a covered parking lot. My clue of the day.

8 Does it teach children how to get on? (8,6)

BOARDING SCHOOL : Cryptic defn: Play on “how to get on”, figuratively how to advance in life, and literally how to get on,BOARD eg. a train, ship, plane, etc.

ANTIDEPRESSANT : Anagram(remedy) of TENANT’S DESPAIR. Another favourite today, with the definition and wordplay intertwined in sense. (Does it really matter whether one calls it an &lit or semi-&lit, or not call it anything at all, as long as it’s intellectually enjoyable?)

25 Enterprise, perhaps, making celebs groovy (8)

STARSHIP : STARS(celebrities) HIP(groovy,with it).

Defn: The Star Trek spaceship, USS (United Space Ship) Enterprise. There was a series of ships of the same name (but not registration number) as the story continues in various TV series and movies. And no, I’m not a Trekkie.

Defn: Descriptive of those lucky people who are equally adept at using both hands, in contrast to most of us who have a preference for using either the right or left hand. Cryptically, the latter therefore have a “first-hand”, the preferred hand, but the former no first-hand experience.

2 Going ahead with home loan (2,7)

IN ADVANCE : IN(home,in the house) ADVANCE(as a noun, a loangiven to you in advance of repayment).

3 Award for boy brought up by Orlando (5)

MEDAL : Reversal(brought up, in a down clue) of LAD(boy) +(by) ME(the setter of the crossword, in this case, Orlando).

4 Makes bequestswith no difficulty at all (5,4)

HANDS DOWN : Double defn: 1st: Gives,hands assets,property,belongings,other bequestsdown to the younger or next generation. 2nd: Easily, as to trounce your opponents hands down in a match.

Defn: Semicircular recess in a church, covered with a semi-dome. Also a semi-circular or polygonal termination of the church, covered by a flat, sloping, domed or hemispherical roof.

6 Show trial? (9)

REHEARSAL : Cryptic defn: A try-out for any of various types of show– theatre, parade, etc. Not to be confused with a kangaroo court.

7 Old and useless like an egg (5)

OVOID : O(old) VOID(invalid,useless, most common as in “null and void”).

Defn: Oval shaped, like an egg.

9 Running nude in street, not giving a hoot (12)

UNINTERESTED : Anagram(running) of NUDE IN STREET.

Defn: Not giving a figurative hoot. Another favourite, for its imagery: nudes of course don’t give a figurative hoot when they’re running in the street, nor do they have horns to literally hoot at traffic in the street!

13 Bill has upset French king? The American ass! (9)

POSTERIOR : POSTER(bill,a poster usually advertising some coming event, could be handed out, or pasted on to a wall or post. I remember the irony of posters on walls, which posters said “Post No Bills”) + reversal(upset) of ROI(Frenchword for king).

Defn: The Commonwealth calls it arse, while the Americans ass(homophonic euphemism?). Speaking of which, I always thought that Madras (in the verses below) rhymes with the Commonwealth version.

There was an Old Man of Madras
Who rode on a cream-coloured ass
But the length of its ears
So promoted his fears
That it killed that Old Man of Madras

– Edward Lear

There was a young girl from Madras
Who had a most beautiful ass
Not rounded and pink
As you probably think
But gray, with long ears, and ate grass

This entry was posted on Monday, July 4th, 2011 at 11:00 am and is filed under Guardian Quiptic.
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Some of the clues [4 hilarious!] 12, 24ac and 1 [superb definition!] and 23dn would be by no means out of place in the best of cryptics but they’re so scrupulously fair that they are ideally suited to this type of puzzle, because they give newer solvers the delight of the aha moment that makes cryptic solving so addictive.

Congratulations to you, Scchua, for having the privilege to blog such a splendid Quiptic.
Maybe the puzzle is just a tad too easy for the dailies (although, is it?), but – by Jove – what a masterpiece this was.

Eileen mentioned already 4 of the best [YEAH is just brilliant!] and Kathryn’s Dad added one more: UNINTERESTED [which would have made the day when Paul had included it in one of his puzzles].

A big Thanks to Orlando.
Today (but as it is a Quiptic, this week) you showed us once more why you are one of the very best.
This one goes into my archive!

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